USA marks EB-2 India unavailable as EB-3 advances to Jan. 1

Where the July bulletin lands

The U.S. State Department marked EB-2 India "unavailable" in the July 2026 Visa Bulletin's Final Action chart, halting immigrant visa issuance and I-485 approvals in that category for the rest of fiscal year 2026. India's pro-rated EB-2 limit has been hit and the date isn't expected to move again until October, when FY 2027 numbers reset.

EB-2 China held its cut-off at Sept. 1, 2021, but the bulletin warned that retrogression or unavailability may follow in the coming months if demand keeps eating into FY 2026 limits.

EB-3 shifted modestly. India's Final Action Date advanced to Jan. 1, 2014, China's to Dec. 22, 2021 and the worldwide category to Aug. 1, 2024. EB-1 India retrogressed two months to Oct. 15, 2022, while EB-1 China moved up to June 1, 2023. EB-5 unreserved for India was also marked unavailable through Sept. 30, though all three EB-5 set-aside categories, Rural, High Unemployment and Infrastructure, stayed current for every country.

Who gets hit

Indian nationals with approved EB-2 I-140 petitions can't receive green card approvals before October, regardless of priority date. Indian EB-5 investors outside the set-aside categories face the same wall. Chinese EB-2 applicants keep their September 2021 cut-off for now, with a clear warning attached.

EB-3 backlogs remain steep. An India PERM filed after early 2014 still waits; a China case filed after December 2021 still waits. U.S. employers sponsoring Indian and Chinese talent across tech, finance and academia will lean harder on H-1B, L-1 and O-1 extensions to bridge the gap.

Tourists, ESTA travelers and short-term visitors aren't affected. The Visa Bulletin governs immigrant visas and adjustment of status only.

What applicants can do now

USCIS confirmed it will use the Final Action Dates chart, not Dates for Filing, for employment-based adjustment filings in July. That narrows who can submit a new I-485 this month.

• Check the priority date on the I-140 against the July chart before filing or scheduling interviews
• Confirm non-immigrant status extensions cover the wait past Sept. 30
• Track the October 2026 bulletin for the FY 2027 reset, which DOS suggested could return EB-2 India to at least a May 2026 cut-off

Read our full USA guide for the complete picture.